new_kingdoms_players_guidefandomcom-20200215-history
History - An Overview
History - An Overview The history of Rythia extends into the deep past, encompassing much that is known and much that is myth. It first began to be recorded by the elves in their oral traditions and was written down by dwarves in stone after the development of written languages. Since that time humans and the younger races have added to that history, creating a rich tapestry of conflicting viewpoints. What follows is the most agreed upon synopsis of the history of Rythia: ' ' The Dawning Times Much of what is known of the Dawning Times is conjecture based upon the various ruins, artifacts, and relics left behind by those peoples who lived in this period. Many races claim to be directly descended from these early people, though evidence is scant. Engravings found in forgotten temples depict various humanoid creatures with beastlike qualities, but whether these were early peoples who later became the likes of lizard-folk, aarakocra, and tabaxi is debated. Some scholars surmise that these were some early race’s attempt to symbolically depict the primitive deities they worshipped - though there is some bias in this speculation as elves claim to be the first conscious race. All that is truly known is that this time was many several thousands of years ago - tens of thousands, or perhaps hundreds. Based on the artifacts left behind, the dawning peoples were very advanced magically. Dragons claim to remember this time and to have foreseen the end, at which point they went into a deep hibernation, but whatever secrets they may hold they will not tell. How this progenitor civilization fell is also a source of debate. Some say that the best evidence is that the people fell through their own hubris in delving into magical secrets none were meant to know. Some say they were killed by plague or inter-warring. The final theory is that this early people were a casualty in a war between the gods. Regardless, about 20,000 years ago almost all traces of these early times were wiped from the earth, leaving only the rare dangerous and mysterious evidence that it once existed. ' ' The Awakening After the Dawning Times the elves first stepped out of the Feywild into Rythia . The High Elves claim they were explorers seeking a land less shaped by chaos, while the wood elves claim that they followed the high elves into rebellion and were exiled. Whatever the circumstance, the elves discovered a world still being reshaped by the gods in the aftermath of the destruction of the Dawning Times. The gods took time to guide these newcomers, perhaps seeking to atone for the failings of the dawning peoples. The elves quickly learned their lessons, becoming adept at shaping the still wild magics in the air. As they explored this new world they came across the dwarves. The dwarves do not speak much of their origins to outsiders. The most they will say involves their first meetings with the elves. In the beginning, elves and dwarves dwelt together in harmony, the elves teaching the dwarves what they learned of magic and words, the dwarves showing the elves their skills in crafting and minework. But before long dissension came to the two races and war broke out. The war did not last long - a few decades perhaps - and the end result was a treaty: the dwarves would keep to their mountain kingdoms and the elves to the forests and woodlands. But the seeds of the long-held prejudices and distrust between the two races were sewn and lingers to this day. ' ' The Clash of the Gods The peace following the war quickly turned yet again, though it was not the elves and dwarves who broke it, nor did they bear arms against each other. During this time a war broke out between the gods - the exact reason for this conflict is shrouded in myth. While the gods tried to keep the battle contained to the Outer Plains this was not to be. Syrthyn fled to the Material Plain and launched his final salvos from Rythia. He also attempted to seduce the elves and dwarves to his cause. As he had been one of the gods to teach the elves many cunning ways of shaping the world around them, more than a few joined him. A few dwarves joined as well, tempted by his promises of gold and power. Still, more fought against Syrthyn than joined him. In his fury against god and creature, Syrthyn unleashed many fell beasts upon the world and twisted many others to his designs. It is during this war that the first orcs were born and goblin-kind as well and many creatures renowned for evil were released upon the land from other plains. Dragons were awakened from their long slumber by the war and the chromatic dragons proved to be great allies to Syrthyn. In the end, Syrthyn fell, though the world was much changed by the war. The whole of the land of Rythia had been one super-continent, but the final blow against Syrthyn shattered the lands. The western portions were long thought to be lost beneath the sea, while Mythonod was fractured into three continental masses. Too, monsters now roamed the earth, plaguing the races of elf and dwarf. Dragons, both good and ill, set up kingdoms of their own and became powers in the realm. The gods imprisoned Syrthyn and the deities that followed him in various other plains and themselves left the orb of Rythia, fearing that further interference in the affairs of the Material Plane would only weaken the races. For their part, the elves and dwarves exiled those of their kind that had joined Syrthyn to the Annwngart, deep beneath the earth. ' ' The First Age of Empires Following this turmoil, about ten thousand years ago, the sentient races began again to tame the world around them. The high elves founded their fabled empire, Marilaf, clearing the orcs and goblins that had settled into the region. The wood-elves still speak to this day of their lost kingdom Gryothil, a great forest that stretched across the length Mythonod. The dwarves also had their golden age in the halls of Kharathum, mining moonsteel. It was during this time that the deeds of men first began to enter the historical records. These first men were little more than primitive savages, huddled in caves, and occasionally entering the forests to hunt and gather. His short lifespan fairly ensured that he would contribute nothing to the world around him. The other races took pity on this poor creature and taught humans the ways of art, magic, and philosophy. The Dragon Wars Some seven thousand years ago, the great red wyrm Surgihom grew covetous of the riches of Kharathum. Rousing his offspring, he rained destruction upon the dwarvenfast, scattering the dwarves across the lands and stealing their wealth. Kharathum became his great hoard, the greatest ever kept by a wyrm, extending across the entirety of the Gramod Mountain range. Not content with this conquest, he soon rallied other wyrms, razing the forests of Gryothil. As the influx of dwarven and elven refugees streamed into Marilaf, the high elves realized that Surgihom’s designs would not be checked by the taking of two kingdoms. Realizing that their power alone would not be enough to overcome this draconic threat, they sent ambassadors to the metallic dragons, offering them bribes of wealth, service, and knowledge to aid them in the chromatic dragons defeat. The wars lasted on and off for five thousand years. During peaceful times the dwarves and elves would try to rebuild, but again and again the chromatic dragons would rally, reclaiming what they saw as rightfully theirs. During this time, Marilaf continued to prosper, free from the ravages of the war thanks to their metallic dragon allies. In the end, Surgihom won enough of a strategic advantage to drive the metallic dragons and free races into Marilaf. The peoples of Rythia, led by the Empress Andolen, made a bold final stand and at last Surgihom was slain, but at great cost. Marilaf was laid to ruin and the peoples were scattered. The age of elves and dwarves had come to a close. ' ' The Current Age Two thousand years ago the other races began to prosper. Humans and halflings were far more prominent than the decimated dwarves and elves that had ruled the previous age. It seemed at first that a new golden age was about to dawn for the shorter lived races, but this was not to be. ' ' The First Human Empire The first of the human empires arose in what is now known as Kwylnaga, nestled between a conjunction of four rivers. This nation was known as Apelidam and showed much promise. Ziggurats rose in this fertile valley and the first human writing was developed. The humans made trade and contact with the other races, taking in the dispossessed elves and dwarves that had survived the Dragon Wars and incorporating their knowledge to rise to great heights. Though a shadow of the empires from before, this was the earliest achievement of the human race. It was during this time that the reckoning of years began, and the first year of 1 AA (Apelidam Annualis) is the date of the founding of Tyriod, the great city. The Shadow Returns Though sealed away in a plane of darkness, Syrthyn and the other gods of darkness were still able to influence the affairs of Rythia in subtle ways. Their followers amongst the drow and duergar were able to call upon them for their divine magics and could receive messages. These emissaries came in secret to the humans of Apelidam, offering the keys to greatness surpassing that of even the golden age of Marilaf. Though some were wary, many were swayed. Dark rituals were performed by the nobles of Apelidam, deeds that had not seen the surface since the war of the gods. In 113 AA, a portal was opened and Syrthyn was able to manifest in Rythia, though he had to leave much of his power behind. His first movements in his return to the world were subtle as even a mid-level magic worker would be able to banish him back to his place of imprisonment. He became a dark adventurer, traversing the world, learning the ways of arcane magic, and accruing artifacts to consolidate his power. Still, being a god meant he had not the limitations of the races and through patient endurance he was able to achieve such power that he could be assured none could be a true threat to his might. 275 AA is when he made his move. He overthrew the human emperor of Apelidam and declared himself God-Emperor of the realm. Many humans fell under his sway, though some escaped into the northern lands, where elves and dwarves were slowly building small kingdoms of their own. Following this, he began his war of conquest, soon subjugating the entirety of the southern continent of Mythonod. 310 AA is when he began marching on the northern lands. Eirilnia, then a small nation, rode to meet his challenge, as did the dwarves of Dwarrowhome. The war lasted for thirty years before Syrthyn withdrew, his resources depleted. He was checked, but not defeated. ' ' The Eirdamni In 345 AA the king of Eirilnia, Istigal, suffered the loss of his wife when she was slain by an orc arrow. Driven to mourning by this loss, Istigal abdicated the throne to his son Turcitar and went into the forests to grieve. In 346, he suffered grievous wounds himself in battle with a goblin horde near a human village. The humans took him in, and one especially tended him and healed him, a woman named Githelen. Falling in love with this short-lived woman, he married her and they had a son, Fisasil, born in 347. Fisasil grew strong and bold, mighty in the ways of weaponry and wise in the ways of battle, and quickly rose to become a leader of his small tribe. When Syrthyn again threatened the north in 394, Fisasil rode to the defense of Eirilnia, uniting the human peoples. In the war that followed, Fisasil proved himself to be a great champion, leading many victories against the dark god. His greatest victory came at great personal cost - he led a small group of adventurers behind enemy lines, to the heart of Syrthyn’s kingdom. Most of his companions died along the way. He managed to destroy Syrthyn’s greatest artifact, the Crown of Torments, greatly weakening the dark god, though in so doing he lost his hand. Through this achievement, the elves and men were able to destroy Syrthyn’s physical form, forcing the god to withdraw his forces. The elven king Turcitar fell in this final battle, but his son Tarisil struck the final blow. The god still lived, but it would be many centuries before he would regain his physical form, and even longer for him to regain his former power. This victory was in the year 410 AA. Upon his return, the wounded man was proclaimed a hero by his elven cousin and his people were granted a kingdom overlooking the borders of Eirilnia. His nation was Eirdamni, the nation of “Noble Men” in the elven tongue. In return for this land, the Eirdamni were to remain vigilant. The heirs of Fisasil soon began to grow an empire of their own. They stretched their lands far into Syrthyn’s territory and cleared a good portion of the northern lands of monsters and other foul creatures that had taken residence. At the height of the empire in 619 AA, under the rule of Tyricyrel, Eirdamni was known as the greatest jewel human civilization had ever produced. Trouble soon followed, however. In 683 AA the younger brother of the then-ruling king staged a coup. Many of the generals were chafing under the peaceful rule Eirdamni had settled into and wished to further expand the territory into nations that had been allied. The king Nolinar was deposed and forced to flee Eirdamni, taking up residence in Eirilnia, where he continued his line. The Eirdamni empire soon declined, its resources depleted in its over-expansion. ' ' Other Civilizations Not all in Mythonod was a matter of the wars between the dark god, elves, and men. In the lands of the east, great civilizations also rose. The dragonborn of Llokadon founded their venerable empire in 119 AA. It stretched across the east, coming to the borders of Eirdamni in 524 AA, where the two empires peacefully determined their borders in a game of chess between the two emperors. In 684, even as Eirdamni was in turmoil, Llokadon ceded their territories to the humans of the east as the region had become too unwieldy to maintain, and Damgithi came to be. ' ' The Last War In 866 AA Syrthyn finally regained enough of his former power to again become a threat to the land. The Eirdamni empire had weakened by this point, shrinking to its original territories and had become lax in its vigilance. They gave one last glorious fight, but in their decadence had grown weak, and the capital of Celtyri fell to the invading hordes in 890 AA. Tarisil, king of Eirilnia, mounted a defense of the Northern Lands. In the necessity of the hour, he claimed lordship over all the dominions of the north, marshalling all resources against the dark god’s sortie. The war was long and bitter. In 950 AA it is rumored that Tarisil felt the call of death and denied it, believing only he was strong enough to defeat Syrthyn. In 955 AA, the orcs rebelled against Syrthyn, fighting a war against both Syrthpon and Eirilnia, founding a kingdom of their own. Syrthyn, weakened by a two front war, retreated with his forces, suing for peace in 957. ' ' Empire and Exploration After the final war, Tarisil refused to cede self-rule to the peoples of the north, believing that allowing the peoples to rule themselves had been what allowed Syrthyn to come yet again into power. They soon rebelled, and in 1001 AA managed to carve a small section of Mythonod called the Freelands. Though Tarisil was loathe to lose this territory, he decided it was foolish to waste resources in further warfare and dedicated his resources to building the infrastructure of his empire. Much was devoted to magical research and the development of new technologies. In 1117 AA the first galleon, the Celirelen, set sail across the Mythael Ocean, discovering the land of Yalanthia that was once lost beneath the waves. The captain, Stylagi, brought back tales of a land pristine and untouched, where the legendary moonsteel could be found in abundance. Believing that moonsteel arms combined with the powerful enchantments developed by the wizards in recent years would allow him a final victory over Syrthyn, Tarisil ordered ships to cross the seas and colonise the new land. The native inhabitants were not happy about this, but their protests were soon quelled through the superior arcane magics the Eirilnians brought with them. In 1119 AA Isilton was founded, the first city of the new world. Tarisil’s original dream of abundant moonsteel was soon quashed. While the nomadic inhabitants were easily brought under his submission, the dwarves proved more resilient. Tarisil was forced to make treaty with the dwarves of Brimir, agreeing to buy moonsteel when he could not take it by force. The dwarves make him pay dearly for this precious metal. Still, the colonies in Yalanthia provided usefulness in their other resources, food crops and other plants that had not been known previously to Mythonod. They also provided a useful dumping ground for elements that Tarisil found odious within his empire - the itinerant Gastiwri and the remaining Eirdamni, from whom he feared a revolt. The high elven overlords of the colonies proved cruel masters in this new world. They enslaved many, both native and immigrant, and punished heavily for the slightest transgressions. ' ' Revolution Unrest began to affect the relationship between the new colonies and the old empire. In 1357 AA, after rumors of dissent amongst the colonials reached his ears, Tarisil had Isiltigal, the heir of the old Eirdamni kingship, executed in a symbolic display meant to cow the people of Yalanthia into submission. Isiltigal’s head was displayed prominently in the city of New Eirilnia. What was meant to quench dissent instead ignited the flames of revolution. Immigrant united with native, and war soon claimed the colonies. More than a few high elves, long disturbed by their emperor’s erratic behavior, joined the rebels. The son of Isiltigal, Twyrcel, and Blewys, the greatest wizard in the land rose to prominence during the war. It is said that in the veins of Twyrcel the blood of the old Eirdamni kings runs true and that he is more half-elf than man. Blewys has been rumored to be able to split the very earth itself if he so desired, and showed remarkable restraint and subtlety in his wizard-craft during the war. At last, in 1362 AA, the war ended. The military of Eirilnia withdrew and the colonies were free. ' ' The New Kingdoms The people of the colonies and the natives considered joining together as one nation, but soon discovered that their values and cultures were too different to create a single stable government. Isilton followed the same system of governance it had before the war, its Lord Siloval being one of Eirilnians who joined the revolt. In 1363 AA the people of New Eirdamni (formerly New Eirilnia) crowned Twyrcel king, despite his protestations. In the same year, the wood elves set up their kingdom of Gryoddenhom, ruled over by their queen, Maritagel. Sutgadden was founded in 1364 AA, following the violent expulsion of all non-humans. In 1365 Caer Celirelen and Halflinshire became the last of the kingdoms to incorporate. In 1366 AA, four of the six kingdoms signed the New Kingdom Accords, a treaty promising to aid the other nations should forces outside the Yalanthia attack, along with various trade agreements.. Sutgadden and Gryoddenhom are the final holdouts. The current year is 1367 AA.